De Souza’s Prayer letter 03/09/2019 Thank you!!! Thank you to each one that has prayed and given so that we can be here! You are an amazing blessing to us and to the people of Angola! March 9th marked seven months since our arrival! Our city, Lubango, which struck us as so foreign, overwhelming and congested, now feels like home. We have learned to drive like Angolans – such a hospitable culture – they believe there is space for everyone on the road – the cars, trucks, taxis, hallelujahs (motorbikes with trailers full of passengers and heavy loads – they are called “hallelujahs” because an accident would mean the passengers suddenly meet the Lord!), motorcycles zipping between vehicles (only at capacity when carrying 2-5 passengers), ladies with babies strapped on their backs and heavy-laden buckets on their heads full of the day’s wares, men pushing wheelbarrows brimming over, tiny children carrying their chairs and backpacks to and from school, fruit and vegetable sellers, construction workers, street sweepers, goats, dogs, etc.! It is amazing to see all that can actually fit onto an Angolan road… even lovely corn-selling, baby carrying photo bombers (see photo)! Luke 14:21-23 “…Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.” The servant said, “Master, what you commanded has been done, and yet there is room.” Then the master said to the servant, “Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.” |
Being in Angola LONG TERM comes with a huge blessing – we get to walk alongside the precious souls God has brought into our path, not only for a moment, but for the long haul. Sometimes we journey with them through heart-wrenching tragedy, other times through joyful triumph, but always we are overwhelmed by the privilege to be God’s jars of clay, pouring out His love and hope during some of the most overwhelming moments of life. Time and again, we are humbled to see the true heroes – the patients and their family members who face pain, tragedy and injustice with strength and gratitude. These precious souls are the reason we are here! Below are a couple of the full stories. Many of you had a part in these happy endings. Thank you!!! Pedro: Within days of arriving in Angola, Eduardo called from the hospital saying there was a little boy urgently needing blood. I (Jocelyn) gave one of eight units of blood he required. He coded twice on the operating table. Many missionaries and hospital staff worked tirelessly and poured out prayers, sweat and tears for this little guy’s survival. Many of you even interceded for Pedro. Eduardo got to know this precious soul and his family during his miraculous recovery. I was privileged to be present at his check-up a few weeks ago. You should have seen him strut into the consult room! Just look at the joy on his mother’s face! He is only alive today because of the Lord and the body of Christ – His hands and feet on the earth: Some prayed and gave to send missionaries. Others answered the call to come. Angolans and foreigners worked together as members of one body. They didn’t give up, but skillfully and tirelessly operated and provided CPR, lifesaving and recovery care. Some gave of their time and energy, some gave blood, some gave financially, some gave of their skills, but we all gave in one way or another. In the end, Pedro did not just survive, but is thriving, and he and his family have experienced the immensity of God’s love. This is what makes it all worth it! Francisco: So many of you blessed the life and family of Francisco. Before their long journey to their hometown, Francisco, his mother, and his baby brother had dinner at our house. They were overjoyed to meet and thank my parents for their help and asked us to thank each one of you who prayed and gave. Instead of facing bankruptcy, this family was able to return home with Francisco recovered, with two elevated shoes for his shorter leg, and a workable plan to get back on their feet. Most importantly, they heard and believed the Gospel and experienced God’s abundant love and provision! Ministry Updates: |
Eduardo continues to work long hours at CEML (Evangelical Medical Center of Lubango) and Jocelyn has been able to be there part-time. A typical day at the hospital includes moments of incomparable joy and other moments of unimaginable heartache. Eduardo has started to take call, which means that he is often called-in for emergencies during nights and weekends. So many times, these emergencies shake the soul and wrench the heart. We struggle with the injustices we see day after day. People often come to the hospital as a last resort, hoping for a miracle cure, while gasping for their last breath. Lack of resources, lack of education, lack of finances, lack of compassionate, skilled medical care, all contribute to the suffering we see daily. The medical team provides the best care possible with the resources available, but more importantly, they show the love of God to the patients and their family members. The patients see the difference when they enter CEML and doctors and staff pray for them and treat them with compassion. Rural Medical Trip: Besides our ongoing work and learning at CEML Hospital, we had the opportunity of a lifetime for the whole family to take a vision/ministry trip with MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) and a medical team to Kalukembe Hospital and Cavango Clinic, two rural medical missions in dire need of workers who are passionate to share God’s love! Eduardo worked long hours, while I and the children explored and discussed the future possibility of living in one of these places, where the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are so few… Eduardo describes Kalukembe Hospital (a 200-bed hospital, currently with no doctor) as one of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching places on the planet. Fistula Ladies: The Fistula patients are ladies who have experienced severe complications from unassisted childbirths. They have usually experienced one or more stillbirths, have been severely damaged physically, are incontinent of urine and/or stool, and are seen as cursed, causing them to be rejected by their families and villages. These women travel long distances to receive needed surgeries at CEML. Between surgeries, for months at a time, many live in the very rudimentary patient village behind the hospital. I (Jocelyn) have had the privilege to meet regularly with these women, sharing the Gospel and the love of God. There is nothing more beautiful than to witness the transformation of these women, who once were clothed in shame, the outcasts of society. After months of experiencing God’s love and hearing that they are valuable in His sight, many leave with their heads held high, knowing that they are not alone, but that they are the apple of His eye! Praise Report: My parents were able to visit. We have spent an amazing 6 weeks with them. They have been able to see and understand more about our daily lives in Angola. The children have thoroughly enjoyed time with their grandparents. The grandparents have been very busy, playing with and caring for the grandkids, helping at the children’s school, and giving English lessons. Cienna was thrilled to stay with Mema and Pepa and I was able to participate in a rural medical trip, spend quality time at the hospital and fistula program, and volunteer at another mission which seeks to bless the lives of some of the poorest children in our community. It was a wonderful gift, giving me the opportunity to explore ministry options. We’ve received the funds needed to purchase a vehicle! Thank you to each one who contributed! What an answer to prayer! We have found a church that we can call home! Thank you for the prayers! Please Pray for Us:. For the people that we encounter at the hospital, in the fistula program, and in our daily lives here, that God would touch their hearts and use us to reveal His love to them. For the team of laborers here (international missionaries and Angolans) to be unified in Christ and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, that their impact may be great in this nation. For physical health for the family. We all continue to struggle on and off with stomach issues. Matteus seems to struggle the most with this. For Eduardo as he continues to work and learn at the hospital. Facing such immense need is often overwhelming physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Please pray for guidance as He learns how to find a healthy balance in family life and ministry. For Jocelyn to be guided by God in the next steps regarding ministry focus. For the children – that they would develop close relationships with the Lord and that they would remain healthy and continue to adjust well to life in Angola. Specifically, please pray for the children during the next couple of weeks as their grandparents return to the USA. For the right vehicle. Finding a well-maintained, used vehicle for sale in Angola can be very challenging! Please pray that we will find the right one and that we will not be taken advantage of in any way! For a teacher/helper for the children’s school next year. So far there is quite a shortage of teachers or helpers for the mission school for the next school year. Please pray for this, and if any of you would be interested in coming to help out, please let us know! The school is English-speaking, so no Portuguese required! How Can We Pray for You? We would also like to keep you in our prayers. Please let us know how we can be praying for you! Click Here to Join Our Ministry Team! To Give Online without Using the Above Link: 1. Visit: simusa.org/give 2. Enter Eduardo or Jocelyn De Souza 3. Enter Missionary #044522 Can’t give online? Send checks to: SIM USA, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241 Please write “De Souza #044522” in the memo line. De Little Delightful De Souza’s We are so thankful for the experiences our children are gaining here! Their perspectives are changing. When we eat out, they gratefully eat whatever is provided and often automatically give part of their meal to a hungry child watching us. They are learning to relate to people from all over the world and from all walks of life. They are learning that every human is valuable, not because of what he has or does, but because of who he is – a human created and loved by God. In the photos below, the three oldest experienced co-piloting the MAF plane that took us to some of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching places on the planet. During our trip, all of the children walked the halls of the hospital and even prayed for some of the patients, including the gorgeous little girl below. Tiago was overjoyed to have the opportunity to watch a surgery. We pray that these experiences will bless the lives of our children, helping them trust and follow the loving heart of the Father. THANK YOU, again, to all who are on this amazing journey with us through prayers, encouragement and support! We could not do this without you! May the Lord Bless you and Keep You! Let’s Keep Serving Him Together! With Love, The De Souza Family Stay in Touch Our Mailing Address: 14512 Shoreline Ln. Lake Park, MN 56554 Facebook/Messenger Eduardo De Souza Jocelyn Thompson de Souza WhatsApp: Eduardo: +244-932-572-740 Jocelyn: +244-932-572-741 E-mail: eduardo.desouza@sim.org jocelyn.desouza@sim.org |
Merry Christmas 12/24/2018
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! May the hope of our Savior fill your hearts this Chirstmas, and may you be reminded of His love throughout the coming year! With love, Eduardo, Jocelyn, Tiago, Matteus, Ella and Cienna |
One of the highlights of Christmas this year was helping to throw a party for the Fistula ladies (ladies with severe complications following difficult, unattended childbirth), their children, and others who are staying in “the village” (located behind the hospital, patients in between surgeries or family members of patients often live here in quite rough conditions for months). The Fistula Program provided gifts for the fistula ladies, and several friends of ours from the States funded beautiful gifts for all of the children in the village and in the hospital. Our kids and another family prepared a Christmas play and the village kids joined in as angels, shepherds and wise men. We shared about how Jesus is our greatest gift and the reason we celebrate. It was wonderful to see our kids joyfully serve food and pass out presents. Seeing the joy on the faces of all who received lunch and gifts was priceless! What a blessing to be able to share the love of God in this way! Thank you to all who are touching precious lives through your prayers, support and gifts! |
Prayer Letter 11/14/2018
De Souza’s Prayerletter 11/14/18 Thank you!!! Three months ago, we had just arrived in Angola! Everything was so new and strange. It is amazing how, after such a short time, we feel like this is home! Thank you so much to each one that has walked with us through prayers, encouragement and support during this time of transition! We couldn’t do this without you! Rev. 7:9 After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. We had the awesome opportunity to visit a church among the Yaneka people group, and then to eat lunch at the home (pictured) of the pastor and his family. The Lord has used sacrificial efforts of His people to reach this beautiful group, to have the books of Genesis, Matthew, Mark, Luke and Philippians translated into their language, and to teach literacy to the people. Hearing the pastor share his testimony of how Jesus transformed his life from despair to hope was thrilling! |
Ministry in Angola: Eduardo has been working long hours at CEML Hospital and has had the opportunity to travel with Dr. Steve Foster to work at one of the rural nurse-run hospitals that CEML services. Jocelyn has been working at CEML one day per week and is also working with the ladies in the hospital’s fistula program. To be honest, the shock and heartache will never wear off of seeing precious human beings living with or dying from injuries and sicknesses that are preventable and easily treatable in our countries of origin. The hospital has only two experienced doctors/surgeons, Dr. Steve Foster and Dr. Annelise Olson, who have sacrificially dedicated years of their lives and worked tirelessly to share the love of God with countless souls. These two doctors are seeing the outpatient consults, caring for incredibly sick inpatients, performing surgeries, traveling to rural hospitals that have no doctor, and training us and other recently arrived expat medical professionals and Angolan interns. Besides being physically and mentally exhausting, working at the hospital is incredibly difficult emotionally. We all struggle as we see beautiful people, young and old, die and suffer from injuries and illnesses that could have been prevented or treated if the patient had just been able to come sooner, or if more resources were available, or if there had been clean water/vaccines/adequate food, or if there were more skilled workers… As Jesus said in Luke 10:2, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the LORD of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Please see the photos below through our eyes and more importantly, through the eyes of the Creator. These are a tiny percentage of the patients we have had the privilege to know. We wish we could bring you through the crowded halls of the hospital, to experience the sites, sounds and smells that we experience daily. The stories below all have a happy ending. For each one of these, there is an equally tragic story… the unnecessary deaths, the injustices, the suffering. To us and especially to Him, these are not nameless faces in some far-off land, but they are precious human-beings, loved by our God. Everyday we are amazed by the way they face pain and suffering with strength and joy. They are accustomed to living in conditions we cannot fathom. Please see them through His eyes! Pedro, sweet little boy who arrested during surgery. He was resuscitated and required 10 units of blood (one donated by Jocelyn). He was featured in a much weaker state in our last letter. Look at the joy on his face! Precious little girl whose leg fracture was not cared for properly at the public hospital (CEML always has several of these cases). Her bone became infected, requiring surgery and external fixation. Sweet baby boy awaiting surgery for a cleft lip and palate. We wish we had an after-picture.Surgery was a success! Kind young man with pellagra (niacin deficiency). Like many, his diet consists of mainly maize, lacking protein. Beautiful young lady on her “graduation day” from the fistula program. After several surgeries and months in the hospital, she is beaming with joy because she is dry! Like so many others, she delivered a stillborn baby during a prolonged, unassisted labor in the bush. This caused immense physical damage, causing her to constantly leak urine and to be rejected by her husband and family because they believed she was “cursed.” She now has hope for a future! Even more importantly, during her long stay at the hospital, she learned skills that will help her earn a living and she heard about the God who loves her and will never leave her! Most of us in the west cannot imagine the rejection and trauma these young women have lived. One of Jocelyn’s favorite parts of the week is sharing God’s love with these precious souls! Francisco, a courageous 10-year-old, who developed a severe bone infection after being improperly casted at the public hospital. He has been at CEML since March, requiring numerous surgeries. While CEML charges as little as possible to cover expenses, Francisco’s family has not been able to continue to pay for his care. They have already sold their cows and nearly all that they owned. Bankruptcy is a common complication of illness and injury in Angola, and there is no government assistance for families in this type of situation. Praise the Lord for brothers and sisters in Minnesota who have become the hands and feet of Jesus for Francisco and his family. They have given enough money to cover the rest of Francisco’s medical care and to help his family get back on their feet! This sacrificial gift will change the future of this family! Thank you! |
Praise Report: Thank you for the prayers for the three oldest children to adjust well to school. They all are enjoying school, making friends, and learning Portuguese. Also, thank you for the prayers for safety on the roads. Please continue to pray for this, but thankfully, we are both becoming accustomed to the crazy driving conditions. Please Pray for Us: For continued grace and strength as we adjust to living and working in Angola. For the people that we encounter at the hospital, in the fistula program, and in our general lives here, that God would touch their hearts and use us to reveal His love to them. For physical health for the family. We all have been sick on and off, mainly with stomach issues. Matteus is the one that seems to struggle most. For Eduardo as he continues to work and learn at the hospital – that he would be able to absorb, retain and apply the immense amount of knowledge he is receiving and that he would be a light and share God’s love with patients and coworkers. For Jocelyn to continue to be guided by the Lord as to where and how much to become involved in ministry. So far she is experimenting with learning to do consults at the hospital one day per week and working with the fistula ladies once or twice per week. Please pray she will find her niche and keep a good balance between family and outside ministry. Sometimes it is hard to be here caring for the family, but seeing the incredible needs all around, and not be able to fully jump in. For the children – that they would develop close relationships with the Lord and that they would remain healthy and continue to adjust well to life in Angola. Specifically, we could use prayers for Cienna, our youngest. She is having a hard time separating for any length of time from Jocelyn, unless Eduardo is home. This means that she is coming with to the fistula programs, etc. Please pray that she would soon feel more comfortable in the care of other trusted individuals for short periods of time. Also, finding a church that the children enjoy has been quite a struggle. Most church services here are very traditional, last about 3 hours, and have little or no children’s programming. The churches meet in concrete sructures that are very echoey, so, with their limited Portuguese, the children understand very little. We don’t want them to begin to dread going to church. For continued financial provision – we still need more people who would want to reach out with God’s love to the people of Angola by becoming financial supporters. Our greatest need is for monthly or recurrent supporters. We will also need to purchase a vehicle soon. The car we are currently using is on loan to us from CEML Hospital. How Can We Pray for You? We would also like to keep you in our prayers. Please let us know how we can be praying for you! Click Here to Join Our Ministry Team! To Give Online without Using the Above Link: 1. Visit: simusa.org/give 2. Enter Eduardo or Jocelyn De Souza 3. Enter Missionary #044522 Can’t give online? Send checks to: SIM USA, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241 Please write “De Souza #044522” in the memo line. De Little Delightful De Souza’s October and November are full of birthdays in our family, so we had some wonderful times celebrating the birthdays of Tiago (11), Matteus (9) and Cienna (3)! We went on a hike near town and we thoroughly enjoyed a group camping trip to the beach just a few (white-knuckle driving) hours away. Here, you can camp where you wish. There are no amenities and you have to be crazy enough to risk the drive, but we had our own deserted ocean paradise! THANK YOU, again, to all who are on this amazing journey with us through prayers, encouragement and support! We could not do this without you! May the Lord Bless you and Keep You! Let’s Keep Serving Him Together! With Love, The De Souza Family Stay in Touch Our Mailing Address: 14512 Shoreline Ln. Lake Park, MN 56554 Facebook/Messenger: Eduardo De Souza Jocelyn Thompson de Souza WhatsApp: Eduardo: +244-932-572-740 Jocelyn: +244-932-572-741 E-mail: eduardo.desouza@sim.org jocelyn.desouza@sim.org Our Story Who are we? We are just regular people, saved by our awesome God! We would have been completely lost and broken if it were not for the saving love and grace of God. To see a film of our story please click on this link: https://youtu.be/tnKVrBFiHEw We have learned that no matter the depths of pain we have felt, no matter the mess we have made of our lives, we are never so lost that His grace can’t save us. There is always hope in Jesus! |
Prayer Letter 9/10/2018
De Souza’s Prayer letter 09/10/18 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” Matt. 25:40 |
Here we are in front of the Serra da Leba Road near our new home of Lubango, Angola! While we were in the US, many of you heard us say that our departure was near, but our journey to this point has felt like this road! Now, thanks to our Faithful God and the prayers and support of so many of you, WE ARE HERE!!! THANK YOU for traveling this road with us, reaching out to the people of Angola with the love and hope of Jesus! After a couple of weeks of unpacking, meeting new friends, and learning to maneuver in the city, Eduardo started working full-time at CEML Hospital with Dr. Stephen Foster as his mentor. He is so thankful to be able to learn from Dr. Foster, who grew up as a son of missionaries in Africa and has been a medical missionary in Angola for about 40 years. He describes Dr. Foster as a living library of knowledge and has been amazed at his ability to provide excellent, compassionate care, even while working long, exhausting hours. Dr. Foster recently wrote about a woman who had surgery at CEML last year. Don’t miss this awesome story! Sunday evening, after a talk on methods of contraception at our local church, one of our local leaders came up and shared the result of a trip to LOLA, about 160 km north of Lubango, several thousand feet below us, amongst a variant of the regional Nyaneka people group. He said they had been invited there by a lady, wife of the chief, who had come to CEML last year and had surgery. She had gone home well and had also become a follower of Jesus. She came back on foot to the leaders of our church and asked them to send a leader to teach them more about the “way of Jesus”. A Team of five went. It took 8 hrs to go the 160 km. The last 18 Km was a footpath through the bush led by the lady herself on foot in front of them. The lady then went on to share her year back in the village. She said after she got home and told how she had been cured of an illness that the local diviners had failed to cure her of, she was told she must go to the chief diviner in Chibia, a distance of almost 200 km, and take 4 oxen as a sacrifice. She went to Chibia, presented herself to the chief diviner, who went through the process of trying to find out how she had been cured. At the end of 4 days she said the chief diviner, after a long trance, said ,”It is impossible to overcome this woman as she is filled with Fire.” Every time he looked at her he said he had to shield his eyes from the fire. He sent her home. She was so overwhelmed by the vindication and said that now they have to build a temple to worship the God who had filled her with the fire that protected her from the diviner. Can you imagine what a reception the local folk gave to the team! Straight out of the days of the Apostles! Please pray that God will send a leader of His choosing to disciple these new followers. Praise Report: Many of you saw our post on Facebook asking for prayers for this precious little boy. He had severe complications during surgery, was resuscitated from cardiac arrest, and urgently needed a large amount of blood, which was donated by several missionaries here, including Jocelyn. Thank you so much for your prayers! He is recovering very well, thanks to the Lord and the amazing work of several missionary doctors and nurses. What a team! God must have a big plan for this young life! |
Please Pray for Us! For continued grace and strength as we adjust to living and working in Angola. For Eduardo as he continues to work and learn at the hospital – that he would be able to absorb, retain and apply the immense amount of knowledge he is receiving daily and that He would be a light and share God’s love with patients and coworkers. For Jocelyn, that she would be guided by the Lord as to which ministry to become involved with and when. There is no lack of options. Currently she is home with the children, at least until the three oldest start school on Sept. 26th. For the children – that they would remain healthy and continue to adjust well. They have always been homeschooled, but now will attend English-speaking MK school here. Please pray that this will be a good experience for them. Also pray that they would quickly learn Portuguese! For safety on the roads – this seems like a strange prayer request, but driving here is one of the biggest challenges we have had to face. The streets are full of potholes, pedestrians, other vehicles, and crazy motorbikes. People are crossing and bikes are passing on all sides of the vehicle at all times. Especially for Jocelyn, driving anywhere is a white-knuckle experience. For continued financial provision – we still need more people who would want to reach out with God’s love to the people of Angola by becoming financial supporters. Our greatest need is for monthly or recurrent supporters. How Can We Pray for You? We would also like to keep you in our prayers. Please let us know how we can be praying for you! Click Here to Join Our Ministry Team! To Give Online without Using the Above Link: 1. Visit: simusa.org/give 2. Enter Eduardo or Jocelyn De Souza 3. Enter Missionary #044522 Can’t give online? Send checks to: SIM USA, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241 Please write “De Souza #044522” in the memo line. Our New Home: Land of Beautiful People and Breathtaking Landscapes! The people of Angola are beautiful, talented and strong. This is a very common site here – women with huge loads balanced on their heads (sometimes even a giant bucket full of over a dozen live chickens) and a baby strapped to their back. What talent! We have also been blown-away by the musical talent here. We have had the privilege of visiting 4 churches so far, and after each service, even in the small churches, we leave feeling like we have attended a professional choir concert. Our theory is that God spilled over Angola when He was handing out the musical talents. We were also thrilled to discover that within a 45 minute drive from our new house, there are hiking trails with views that take your breath away! These views will always remind us of our awesome Creator and the reason we are here – to share His immense love and endless hope! De Little Delightful De Souza’s the children do miss family and friends, especially grandparents, they are constantly playing with new friends, both in and out of the compound. They are discovering new foods, plants and bugs daily. They enjoyed participating in soccer camp and attending a birthday party of a new Angolan friend. They have gone on a couple wonderful hikes. Most days they are purple from head to toe from climbing our mulberry tree and eating the berries. At the same time, the kids are seeing things in person that they had only heard about before. They see children their ages working very tough jobs, caring for little siblings, digging through dumps for recycling, etc. The other day, as we ate snacks from a food stand, there were two hungry boys watching us. Our kids ate only half of their food and gave the boys the rest. They were so happy to see the boys eat. It is a lot for them to process. THANK YOU, again, to all who are on this amazing journey with us through prayers, encouragement and support! We could not do this without you! May the Lord Bless you and Keep You! Let’s Keep Serving Him Together! With Love, The De Souza Family Stay in Touch Our Mailing Address: 14512 Shoreline Ln. Lake Park, MN 56554 Facebook/Messenger: Eduardo De Souza Jocelyn Thompson de Souza WhatsApp: Eduardo: +244-932-572-740 Jocelyn: +244-932-572-741 E-mail: eduardo.desouza@sim.org jocelyn.desouza@sim.org Our Story Who are we? We are just regular people, saved by our awesome God! We would have been completely lost and broken if it were not for the saving love and grace of God. To see a film of our story please click on this link: https://youtu.be/tnKVrBFiHEw We have learned that no matter the depths of pain we have felt, no matter the mess we have made of our lives, we are never so lost that His grace can’t save us. There is always hope in Jesus! |
In Angola 8/20/2018
We are home in Angola!!! Quick update… 08/20/18 Thank you all for the prayers during our long journey and our transition to our new home! God has been so faithful, protecting us and sustaining us through it all! This is just a quick update to let you all know that we are well and adjusting to life in Angola. We arrived to our new home on Aug. 9th, with each of our four children and all 24 pieces of luggage! Praise the Lord! Our trip started with us driving to the Twin Cities on Aug. 5th, flying to Boston on the 6th, arriving in Qatar on the 7th, then Namibia, Africa on the 8th. The most difficult part of the trip was that, upon arriving in Namibia, we had to get ourselves and all of our luggage through customs and to a hotel. The next day, we had to get our luggage back to the airport to fly to Angola. We finally celebrated Jocelyn’s birthday on August 9th by arriving in Angola, very jet-lagged and sleep-deprived. It was definitely a birthday to remember. Waiting for us at the airport was a fleet of new friends and vehicles ready to take us and our luggage to our new home! Not only was the trip exhausting, but we were tired before it even started with all of the last minute packing and preparing. Another thing we hadn’t realized beforehand was the wearying effect that the high altitude would have on all of us! Wow! What a journey! We have been here a week, and are finally feeling functional! Our activities over the past week: We have been settling into our new home and have been getting to know our missionary colleagues, as many have invited us to their homes for meals. They have also oriented us to the important places in the city – grocery stores, the bank, cell and internet companies, the open market, and a few of the breathtaking views. One challenge we face is adapting to the driving here. When we lived on the Texas-Mexico border, we thought that driving in Mexico was difficult, but driving here makes Mexico seem like a piece of cake! Please pray for safety for us and all of the pedestrians, motorcyclists, and vehicles around us!!! We are amazed at how the children are adjusting well, despite enduring the arduous trip and arriving in a place that is so new and different. They have made wonderful new friends. This past week they participated in soccer camp and had a blast. Most of the time they are happy, but they occasionally are tearful, missing grandparents. Please keep them in your prayers! Cienna (2 years) asked if we could go to Mema and Pepa’s house and I said, “We can’t, they are too far away, all the way across the ocean.” She said, “That’s OK. We can swim.” We will soon send a full newsletter. This is just to let you know that we have arrived safely and are adjusting well. We are so thankful to each one of you that is here with us through prayer and/or support. We couldn’t do this without you!!! Click Here to Join Our Ministry Team! To Give Online without Using the Above Link: 1. Visit: simusa.org/give 2. Enter Eduardo or Jocelyn De Souza 3. Enter Missionary #044522 Can’t give online? Send checks to: SIM USA, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241 Please write “De Souza #044522” in the memo line. |
Getting here has been quite a journey! Thank you for walking with us! We are excited to see what God has planned for us around the next bend! With Love, The De Souza Family |
Prayer Letter 7/20/2018
De Souza’s Prayer letter 7/20/18 You Are Invited to a Send-Off Party! Where: Camp Joy, 32521 380th St. Dent, MN 56528 (218)234-5948 When: July 28th at 12:00 PM RSVP: If you will be able to come, please text or call Jocelyn at (218) 204-1334 or send an email to jocelyn.desouza@sim.org Mark Faus, former CEO of CEML Hospital, and his wife, Jana, will be with us! We will have a pot-bless lunch at 12:00 followed by a brief time of sharing by Mark Faus and ourselves. Finally we will pray together for our upcoming travels and transition to our new home in Angola. Following there will be free time to visit and enjoy the lake. Please bring a dish to share and swimwear if you’d like to swim. Serving the poorest of the poor in Angola This map shows the satellite clinics, hospitals, and government posts served by CEML (www.ceml.org).Critical patients are brought in to the hospital and medical staff are flown out to the villages. In English, the name of CEML would be “Evangelical Medical Center of Lubango.” We are so excited to work with and learn from the experienced staff at CEML! They are doing what they do because they love the Lord and want to share His love and hope! The Countdown: 17 Days Until We JUMP IN!! After the resurrection, the disciples decided to go fishing. From the boat, they saw a figure on shore. John 21:7 “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, ‘It is the Lord,’ he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.” Why did Peter jump into the water? …to impress the others? …to earn Jesus’ love and respect? …because he got pushed? No! None of these reasons would be enough to sustain him on the exciting, and often difficult, road ahead. He jumped in because He loved and trusted Jesus and knew that following Him is where he wanted to be! We are standing at the edge of the boat, about to jump! The boat feels secure and familiar, but Jesus is calling us to trust Him and jump into the water! Our love for Him and our trust in His love for us is what will sustain us for the long haul! Surely we will pass through both smooth and rough waters, but He has promised to never leave us and never forsake us! Is He calling you to jump, too? His plan will be so worth it! Don’t let the familiar cause you to miss His best for you! Ready? LET’S GO!!! Updates on our Journey: We leave on August 6th! We got our visas! Thank you to all who were praying! We have never experienced such a complicated visa process! We had stacks of paperwork translated and legalized, tried to be patient as we waited for our invitation letter from Angola, then traveled to the Angolan consulate in Houston to apply. There we had to run around and scrounge up more paperwork, but before we knew it, our passports and visas arrived in the mail! PTL! Prayer and Financial Support Levels: We have been cleared to go! To those of you who have not become involved,there is still plenty of room on the team! First, we need dedicated prayer partners. We will be facing tough situations, spiritually, emotionally and physically. We need those of you who would be willing to stand in the gap for us! Second, we still need those of you who would be willing to give financially. We can’t all go, but most of us can give! Our main financial need is for monthly or recurrent givers, but any amount, in any frequency is a huge blessing to us and to the people we will serve. Please prayerfully consider how God would have you get involved! *All gifts are tax-deductible THANK YOU to so many of you who have chosen to be part of this team through prayer and/or financial support, sharing the love of Christ to the needy and the message of the Gospel to those who are living and dying without it! We can’t do this without you!!! Click Here to Join Our Ministry Team! To Give Online without Using the Above Link: 1. Visit: simusa.org/give 2. Enter Eduardo or Jocelyn De Souza 3. Enter Missionary #044522 Can’t give online? Send checks to: SIM USA, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241 Please write “De Souza #044522” in the memo line. Please Pray for Us! For the Lord’s Guidance and Help with all of the Details Ahead of Us. We will be jumping off the boat and into the plane on Aug. 6th! Between now and then, please pray as we pack (no easy feat for a family of 6 moving overseas), and say difficult “goodbyes.” Then, please pray for travel mercies – safety, peace, and endurance! We are scheduled to arrive in Namibia on Aug. 8th, stay overnight, and then fly from Namibia to Angola on Aug. 9th. For Smooth Transitions for Our Children and Ourselves. Please pray for peace, health and protection (physical, emotional and spiritual). Also pray for Jocelyn’s parents as it will be hard for them to see us move so far away. For Angola. Please pray for CEML Hospital, the missionaries there, and the precious people to whom they are ministering. For Financial Provision. Pray that the Lord would touch the hearts of those that would join our team to share God’s love in Angola. How Can We Pray for You? We would also like to keep you in our prayers. Please let us know how we can be praying for you! De Little Delightful De Souza’s The kids are enjoying another Minnesota summer! They are having a blast doing all the things a child in Minnesota is supposed to do in the summer: fishing, swimming, camping, and spending time with grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends! Please pray that the Lord would comfort their hearts as they say some tough “Goodbyes.” |
May the Lord bless you and keep you! With Love, The De Souza Family *We are looking forward to writing our next letter from Angola!!! |
Our Story Who are we? We are just regular people, saved by our awesome God! We would have been completely lost and broken if it were not for the saving love and grace of God. To see a film of our story please click on this link: https://youtu.be/tnKVrBFiHEw We have learned that no matter the depths of pain we have felt, no matter the mess we have made of our lives, we are never so lost that His grace can’t save us. There is always hope in Jesus! Stay in Touch Our Mailing Address: 14512 Shoreline Ln. Lake Park, MN 56554 Phone: 218-204-1334 E-mail: eduardo.desouza@sim.org jocelyn.desouza@sim.org |
Prayer Letter 5/8/2018
De Souza’s Prayer letter 5/8/18 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” Matt. 25:40 |
Praying for More Workers! – A recent post by Dr. Tim Kubacki, SIM missionary physician in Angola “About 6 hr in the air today with MAF back to Lubango. It’s been a full week with way too many ill people to see and not nearly enough time. We did many consultations and left as many unseen. How can we possibly bring a few more workers to so many needs?” We are willing and wanting to go! Would you prayerfully consider reaching out with the love of God to the precious people of Angola by helping us? You would be an answer to countless prayers! We can’t do it on our own. We need a team of brothers and sisters who are willing to pray for us and give of the resources God has graciously provided. More from Dr. Kubacki: “Maturity… According to Jesus, our maturity is revealed in our preoccupation with Him and our preoccupation with benefiting others, and the lack of preoccupation with ourselves. The world around us communicates the opposite in that we must be preoccupied with self in order to develop as a person. The messages of so many churches, week after week, focus on my growth, my relationship with God, my holiness, my fruit, my peace, my contentment, my salvation, etc. and, by doing so, completely miss the other-emphasis of Jesus and His kingdom. He calls us to be preoccupied with Him and with them, not with me!” “Basics… It’s tough seeing people every day who have neither the most basic of their needs, nor the opportunity to obtain the same… We dismiss Jesus’ priorities today, and so many suffer as a result. Before Jesus said He would be with us always, for example, He commanded us to GO and do what He did and He would GO with us. We sure hear a lot about His presence with us always, yet so little about abandoning our lives to go where-ever.” |
Updates on our Journey: We are Getting So Close!!! This is a road near our soon-to-be home of Lubango, Angola! It also clearly represents how our journey has felt! When we started this journey of support-raising and preparation for our move, we had no idea of all the twists, turns, and uphill climbs that awaited us! One of the missionaries we will be working with told us that there are three things we will need in Angola: #1 Patience, #2 Patience, and #3 Patience. We believe that among many other things, God is using this experience to teach us patience! We can just about see the town and even hear the sounds ahead of us now, which is so exciting! Visas! We have begun our application process for our Angolan visas. Since we will be there long-term, this is a complicated process. Right now we are waiting for a letter of invitation which needs to be sent from the Angolan government to the Angolan Consulate in the USA. Please pray that this letter will be sent quickly! Finances: In our last letter we were praising God that our launch fund is full! Now we are so excited to share that we are at 80% for our monthly support! We are so close and yet there is still quite a need! THANK YOU to so many of you who have chosen to be part of this team through prayer and financial support, sharing the love of Christ to the needy and the message of the Gospel to those who are living and dying without it! We can’t do this without you!!! To those of you who have not become involved, there is still plenty of room on the team! First, we need dedicated prayer partners. We will be facing tough situations, spiritually, emotionally and physically. We need those of you who would be willing to stand in the gap for us! Second, we still need those of you who would be willing to give financially. We can’t all go, but most of us can give! Our main financial need is for monthly or recurrent givers, but any amount, in any frequency is a huge blessing to us and to the people we will serve. Please prayerfully consider how God would have you get involved! *All gifts are tax-deductible Click Here to Join Our Ministry Team! To Give Online without Using the Above Link: 1. Visit: simusa.org/give 2. Enter Eduardo or Jocelyn De Souza 3. Enter Missionary #044522 Can’t give online? Send checks to: SIM USA, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241 Please write “De Souza #044522” in the memo line. Please Pray for Us! For Our Visas. We will be dealing with the Consulate in Houston instead of Washington D.C. Please pray that our letter of invitation from the Angolan government would be sent quickly to the Houston Consulate. Also pray for favor and protection as we travel to Houston to finish our application process. For Financial Provision. Pray that the Lord would touch the hearts of those that would join our team to share God’s love in Angola. For the Lord’s Guidance and Help with all of the Details Ahead of Us. We continue meeting with individuals and churches, dealing with mountains of bureaucracy, packing (no easy feat for a family of 6 moving overseas), and saying difficult “goodbyes.” For Smooth Transitions for Our Children and Ourselves. Please pray for peace, health and protection (physical, emotional and spiritual). Also pray for Jocelyn’s parents as it will be hard for them to see us move so far away. For Angola. Please pray for CEML Hospital, the Missionaries there, and the Precious People to whom they are Ministering. How Can We Pray for You? We would also like to keep you in our prayers. Please let us know how we can be praying for you! De Little Delightful De Souza’s After a loooooong Minnesota winter, the kids are enjoying the Minnesota mud season! Watch out, Africa, here they come!!! They are finishing up their homeschool year and getting excited about our move! Please keep them in your prayers! May the Lord Bless you and Keep You! Let’s Keep Serving Him Together! With Love, The De Souza Family Our Story Who are we? We are just regular people, saved by our awesome God! We would have been completely lost and broken if it were not for the saving love and grace of God. To see a film of our story please click on this link: https://youtu.be/tnKVrBFiHEw We have learned that no matter the depths of pain we have felt, no matter the mess we have made of our lives, we are never so lost that His grace can’t save us. There is always hope in Jesus! Stay in Touch Our Mailing Address: 14512 Shoreline Ln. Lake Park, MN 56554 Phone: 218-204-1334 E-mail: eduardo.desouza@sim.org jocelyn.desouza@sim.org |
Prayer Letter 2/23/2018
De Souza’s Prayer letter 2/23/18 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” Matt. 25:40 |
Why Missions and Why Angola? The following is to give you a feel for what we will be doing and why. We will soon be working alongside heros of the faith, such as SIM missionaries Dr. Tim and Betsy Kubacki. The couple gave up their comfortable lifestyle and his lucrative career as an ER physician in the USA to serve the Lord and share the love of Jesus in Angola. Here Dr. Tim passionately shares his heart and experience: “I think I’ve become somewhat jaded as I hold another baby with a horrific illness (see photo with parental guidance) because there is simply too little being done by Jesus’ people for those who have no access to help. Please zoom in on the photo of the little boy and consider the pain he has endured for 3-4 months! Then close your eyes and imagine… Take my place… Pick him up and feel him feverishly shudder against your chest. Smell the rotten flesh. Swat away the ravenous flies, observe the movement within the deepest part of the wound from several very active maggots and perhaps understand why I am passionate about so many remarkable and basic needs being met with equally remarkable and pathetic apathy in the American church. Neither writer nor reader of this post have held a more precious child. Some variation of this little guy happens every day in our little Cavango hospital and we have a small, beautiful team of supporters in the US who are helping us do what we can for the children in this rural area. Would you join them?” “He is why our MAF pilots/mechanic fly. He is why our missionary surgeons tirelessly operate in Lubango. He is why missionaries of all skill sets (teachers, mechanics, accountants, administrators, builders, translators, laborers, church planters, etc) leave all that’s dear to them and go to the valleys. Anyone can come here and travel village to village, and teach about nutrition and dental hygiene and raise funds to help those without (and prevent the above scenario), and share about the love of our Father and His eternal promises… The Good Samaritan on the road to Jericho needed no special skills to do what he did… Whatever can you and I do to help? Our lives are worth giving… for him. The primary questions are not, “What can or should be done?” or “What can the wealthy or my government do?” There is no value in shaking one’s head and criticizing the unjust state of the world, ignoring it or wishing it away. In light of the resources and knowledge you have been given to share/steward/distribute/give away, the only question that will ever matter is, ‘What will I do?’” Dr. Tim Kubacki |
He is Why We are Going! Trying to enjoy our last Minnesota winter before our big move to Angola!!! Around this time last year we were just beginning our support-raising journey. We looked at the task ahead and wondered how in the world God would do it! At times we saw the mountain ahead and were tempted not even to try. Now we are blown away by His provision and the generosity of so many of you!!! We are overjoyed to announce that our LAUNCH FUND is FULL!!! Praise the Lord, and THANK YOU to each one that has prayed, encouraged, helped or given! We are so blessed by each one of you that has chosen to be part of our team, reaching precious lives in Angola with the LOVE, LIGHT and SAVING HOPE of JESUS! Eph. 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen. Launch Fund Monthly Financial Goals We are hoping to be able to leave for Angola in the very near future! We are doing the preliminary work needed for obtaining visas, but since we will have to “use or lose” our visas within 60 days of obtaining them, we can’t finish the application process for them in Washington DC until we have reached 85% of our monthly support. We are currently at about 60%. Please prayerfully consider sharing the love of Christ in Angola by giving in one of the following ways: Become a monthly or recurrent partner, giving toward our living expenses (On the SIM website, you can set recurrent gifts to be deducted automatically, monthly, quarterly, or annually. You can also choose to give online or by check at your convenience). Any amount you are able to give, at whatever frequency, is greatly appreciated! Give toward an upcoming need: Airline tickets from Minnesota to Angola = about $1900 per person Long-term visas for Angola = $1200 per person Household set-up in Angola = $2000 I-pad for use in the hospital = $450 Vaccines for typhoid, yellow-fever, and rabies = $1400 Katadyn water filtration system (to prevent serious infections from contaminated water) = $400 Solar-powered generator = $700 One day ($121.60), week ($912), or month ($3648) of living expenses *All gifts are tax deductible. Please see giving info below. *One huge benefit we have is that, since the national language of Angola is Portuguese, which we both speak fluently, we will not have to spend time or money on language acquisition. *By giving, you will be a very real part of this team, taking the love of Christ to the needy and the Gospel to those who are living and dying without it! Click Here to Join Our Ministry Team! To Give Online without Using the Above Link: 1. Visit: simusa.org/give 2. Enter Eduardo or Jocelyn De Souza 3. Enter Missionary #044522 Can’t give online? Send checks to: SIM USA, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241 Please write “De Souza #044522” in the memo line. Please Pray for Us! For Financial Provision. Pray that the Lord would touch the hearts of those that would join our team to share God’s love in Angola. For the Lord’s Guidance and Help with all of the Details Ahead of Us. During the next months we will be meeting with individuals and churches, travelling to the Angolan Consulate in Washington DC for visas, finishing training, packing for our overseas move, etc., all while continuing with homeschool and regular life. For Smooth Transitions for Our Children and Ourselves. There will be many changes during the months ahead, even before we leave for Angola. Please pray for peace, health and protection (physical, emotional and spiritual). Also pray for Jocelyn’s parents as it will be hard for them to see their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren move so far away. For Angola. Please pray for CEML Hospital, the Missionaries there, and the Precious People to whom they are Ministering. How Can We Pray for You? We would also like to keep you in our prayers. Please let us know how we can be praying for you! Highlights from the Last Couple of Months Eduardo and Tiago (10), our oldest son, had the opportunity to go to Brazil for a couple of weeks. Eduardo spoke in 6 different churches and made important connections. Tiago met many extended family members for the first time and experienced Brazilian banana splits, tropical fruits, and beautiful beaches. Meanwhile, Jocelyn and the other three children, in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, tried to maintain a good attitude!! Tiago, about his trip to Brazil: “The best parts of the trip were visiting the ocean and surprising my grandparents by showing up at their gate! We didn’t tell them we were going to Brazil! Eduardo and our great friend Jim took a trip to Mexico City and Eduardo was able to legalize his medical diploma through the Angolan Consulate. De Little Delightful De Souza’s We are hoping that this will be our last Minnesota winter for some time, so we are trying to make some fun memories! Our plan is to decorate our house in Angola with Minnesota winter photos in order to help with our transition and ward off the feelings of homesickness! We will be happy just to be warm! The kids are loving all of the winter activities, and the parents are freezing! May the Lord Bless you and Keep You! Let’s Keep Serving Him Together! With Love, The De Souza Family Our Story Who are we? We are just regular people, saved by our awesome God! We would have been completely lost and broken if it were not for the saving love and grace of God. To see a film of our story please click on this link: https://youtu.be/tnKVrBFiHEw We have learned that no matter the depths of pain we have felt, no matter the mess we have made of our lives, we are never so lost that His grace can’t save us. There is always hope in Jesus! Stay in Touch Our Mailing Address: 14512 Shoreline Ln. Lake Park, MN 56554 Phone: 218-204-1334 E-mail: eduardo.desouza@sim.org jocelyn.desouza@sim.org |
Prayer Letter 12/21/2017
De Souza’s Prayer letter 12/21/17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. John 3:17 |
THANK YOU!!! – to each one that has prayed, encouraged us, helped with various fundraisers or house projects, contributed financially… We are blown away by the team of compassionate people that have decided to join us in this journey to reach Angola with the saving hope of Jesus! We are preparing for take off! |
Launch Fund Monthly Financial Goals Since our last letter, our launch fund has increased from 46% to 78%! We are astounded by God’s provision and your generosity! Praise the Lord, and THANK YOU to each one that has sacrificially given! These funds will help us get to the field…plane tickets, vaccines, visas, a vehicle in Angola, and house set-up expenses. Each financial gift brings us one step closer to reaching precious lives in Angola with God’s saving love and hope!. Monthly or recurrent giving is a HUGE way you can impact the people of Angola with the love of God! This is what will sustain our family over our first term in Angola – 2.5 years. We have been so immensely blessed over the last couple of months to see our team of monthly partners grow! Would you prayerfully consider claiming one of the gray people (in the image above) to share God’s love and hope with precious lives who are living and dying without it? Why Medical Missions? Jesus healed every kind of disease and illness. Matthew 9:35-36 states that he was moved with compassion when He saw the crowds because they were “harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.” We want to use the skills He has given us to minister the love and compassion of Jesus Christ, opening doors for the saving message of the Gospel. De Little Delightful De Souza’s Fall has been a busy and fun time in the De Souza household! We went on several trips to the Twin Cities to share with friends, families, the Brazilian church and Jocelyn’s childhood school. It has been wonderful catching up with loved-ones and meeting new friends! We also went on a trip to Chicago to deal with the Brazilian Consulate. Downtown Chicago was quite the experience for our “country kids!” Three of the kids had birthdays. God gave the boys snow for their birthdays for the first time! They were so happy since they won’t have snow in Angola! Cienna thoroughly enjoyed being the center of attention on her birthday, although she is usually the center of attention anyway! We see our calling for missions as a calling for the whole family! When God placed our children in our family, He knew that they would be part of the team as we move overseas to share the love of Christ. This is what the boys had to say about our rapidly approaching move: Tiago (10): “I am happy to obey what Jesus said in Mark 16:15 ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.’ I will miss my family and friends, though, and I hope you will write to me!” Matteus (8): “I am excited to go to Angola, but I’m not sure if I will like the food. I tried a fried cricket during missions training. It was pretty good, until I got to the MUSHY part!” The Next Steps in Our Journey We will continue to meet with individuals, families, small groups, and churches. If you would like to hear more and possibly become involved through prayer and/or financial support, please contact us! We would love to meet with you or your small group or church! Together, we can let God use us to make an eternal impact in Angola! Our biggest challenge now will be obtaining visas for Angola! We found out that the whole family will have to go to Washington D.C. for this! We are planning to take this trip in January. We also need to “stop back in” at the Brazilian consulate in Chicago and Eduardo needs to go to Mexico City to have his medical diploma legalized through the Angolan Consulate. Please pray for safe travels and efficient processing of all of this! How Can You Be Involved? You Can Join Our Ministry Team! We can’t do this on our own! We need partners who will stand with us through prayer and financial support. Together, we can share God’s love and the Gospel message with the people of Angola. Will you prayerfully consider how God is asking you to get involved? Please contact us if you have any questions or would like further information about this! All gifts are tax deductible. Click Here to Join Our Ministry Team! To Give Online without Using the Above Link: 1. Visit: simusa.org/give 2. Enter Eduardo or Jocelyn De Souza 3. Enter Missionary #044522 Can’t give online? Send checks to: SIM USA, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241 Please write “De Souza #044522” in the memo line. Please Pray for Us! For Safe Travels, Efficiency and God’s Favor in obtaining visas, tickets, etc. For Continued Financial Provision For Smooth Transitions for Our Children and Ourselves – We are already feeling mixed emotions – excitement to be in Angola, and sadness about saying “Goodbye” to family and friends! Also, please pray for the grandparents as they prepare for our departure! For Angola – Please pray for CEML Hospital, the Missionaries there, and the Precious People to whom they are Ministering. How Can We Pray for You? We would also like to keep you in our prayers. Please let us know how we can be praying for you! We wish you a Merry Christmas and a blessed 2018! With Love, The De Souza Family Our Story Who are we? We are just regular people, saved by our awesome God! We would have been completely lost and broken if it were not for the saving love and grace of God. To see a film of our story please click on this link: https://youtu.be/tnKVrBFiHEw We have learned that no matter the depths of pain we have felt, no matter the mess we have made of our lives, we are never so lost that His grace can’t save us. There is always hope in Jesus! Stay in Touch Our Mailing Address: 14512 Shoreline Ln. Lake Park, MN 56554 Phone: 218-204-1334 E-mail: eduardo.desouza@sim.org jocelyn.desouza@sim.org |
Prayer Letter 9/23/2017
De Souza’s Prayer letter 9/23/17 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” Matt. 25:40 |
We are Getting Closer! As we have taken steps of faith toward the goal of relocating to Angola, we have seen God’s hand even as we’ve faced incredible obstacles. The enemy would like to intimidate us into giving up and being satisfied with the status quo, instead of pursuing our God-sized, God-given calling. We were reminded in our mission class that God does not NEED us, but He chooses to use broken, unworthy people like us to spread His Gospel, that His glory may be revealed throughout the earth. We are just the jars of clay that He pours out His love through! That’s incredible! We don’t have to believe the lies of the enemy, and we shout, “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world! (John 4:4)” In ourselves, we can do nothing, but it is God who works in us and through us. What an awesome God we serve! For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Cor. 4:6-7 |
Not only do we have a God who gives us strength on this journey, but we also have all of you who have been willing to walk alongside us! It is with your help that we are excited to let you know that we are nearing 50% for our launching funds and monthly goals! Also, during the past 6 months we have seen our launching fund rise from 5% to nearly 50% and our monthly financial partners have increased by about 200%! To that, we would like to say a huge “THANK YOU!” Because of you, the people of Angola will be reached with the LOVE, LIGHT and SAVING HOPE of JESUS! As we get closer to being 100% funded, our plane will progress closer to Angola. We still have a way to go before we’re able to move. Please look at the charts below and pray about being a part of taking the Good New to those who are living and dying without it! Launch Fund Monthly Financial Goals We are steadily getting closer to our launch fund financial goal. These funds will help us get to the field…plane tickets, vaccines, visas, a vehicle in Angola, and house set-up expenses. Each financial gift brings us one step closer to reaching our required goal of 100%. Would you consider giving toward this? If you are interested in helping toward a certain need, such as covering plane tickets or vaccines, we can give specifics about the cost of each of these needs. There are many ways you can be involved as a committed monthly giver. This is what will sustain our family over our first term in Angola – 2.5 years. The picture above is one example of what our support team would look like to get us to 100%. The red people represent commitments that have already been given while the gray people represent commitments needed. Would you prayerfully consider claiming one of the gray people to help us get to 100%? *All gifts are tax deductible. Please see giving info below. *One huge benefit we have is that, since the national language of Angola is Portuguese, which we both speak fluently, we will not have to spend time or money on language acquisition. Two Beautiful Little Girls! Both created in God’s image. Which one does God love more? Since He has given us the resources and abilities to care for both, is it right to love and care for one and not the other? If one of them was your little girl, what would you give up? What hurdles would you cross to get to her, to show her love, to provide for and care for her? Most importantly, what would you do so that she could know the hope that is in Jesus? God loves both little girls with all of His heart. What should our response be? Why Angola? If we think about the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, most of us in America are the ones who received the 10 talents. Most of us have abundantly more than what is necessary to survive. Most of us have access to clean water, adequate food, medical care, education, and so much more. Most have had the opportunity to learn about God and His love and sacrifice for us. This abundance is a blessing from God. We can’t even take another breath if it is not Him giving it to us. How are we stewarding all that He has entrusted us with? Are we burying it, just spending it on our own comfort and pleasure, or are we investing it into His Kingdom and making an eternal difference? In the part of Angola where we will be going, the situation is drastically different from our reality here! We have already outlived the life expectancy of about 38 years. Mothers lose 1 in 3 of their children before age 5. The missionary per capita ratio in Angola is one of the lowest in the world, and many precious people never have the opportunity to hear the saving love of Jesus. We are reminded of the lyrics of a popular Christian song, “Do Something,” by Matthew West… “If not us, then who, if not me and you? Right now, it’s time for us to do something.” We are following God’s call to go and to serve. Will you prayerfully consider praying and giving in order to help us get there? Together, we can make a difference! Highlights from the Last Few Months We had an excellent visit with Dr. Steve and Peggy Foster. They have been missionaries in Angola for the past 40+ years. Dr. Foster is the medical director of CEML Hospital where we will serve. We are so excited to join their team! Dr. Foster shared an impactful message at our “Hope for Angola” event. At the end of the event, we were blessed to receive prayer! Thank you to all who came for the event! We hope you came away inspired! We were also immensely blessed by the children and leaders at our church’s VBS (Lakes Area Vineyard). We were blessed to be able to share with the children about Angola, and they prayed over us with such power and passion! Some of the most amazing experiences we have had over the last few months is seeing people give sacrificially of their time, finances and talents for the Kingdom of God, or maybe they just want to get us out of here! So many have spent hours praying with us and for us! The children of one family donated all the money they had been saving up, saying that it was more important to help us get to Africa than for them to buy the special item they had been saving for. There have been Indian taco sales, huge garage sales, beautiful beadwork sales, essential oil sales… It is incredible to see people give selflessly for God to be glorified and lives to be touched! Plans for the Months Ahead Our main goal during this time is to continue to meet with individuals, families, small groups, and churches over the next several months. If you would like to hear more and possibly become involved through prayer and/or financial support, please contact us! We would love to meet with you or your small group or church! Together, we can let God use us to make an eternal impact in Angola! Currently, we are enrolled in a wonderful missions course called “Perspectives on the World Christian Movement,” which will run through December. We are gradually transitioning from life in rural Minnesota, to life in Angola, which means downsizing and stepping away from many activities here and figuring out logistics and necessities for a family of 6 moving overseas. It is a time of mixed emotions – excitement, sadness, joy, worry about the unknown, feeling overwhelmed, already dreading the goodbyes, eagerness to see what God will do… Our goal now is to be here through the end of the year. In January we will apply for visas for Angola. After receiving those, God willing, we will travel to Brazil for a month or so to continue to raise prayer and financial support there. From Brazil we will fly to Angola – hopefully in February or March. Click Here to Join Our Ministry Team! To Give Online without Using the Above Link: 1. Visit: simusa.org/give 2. Enter Eduardo or Jocelyn De Souza 3. Enter Missionary #044522 Can’t give online? Send checks to: SIM USA, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241 Please write “De Souza #044522” in the memo line. Please Pray for Us! For Financial Provision. Pray that the Lord would touch the hearts of those that would join our team to share God’s love in Angola. Pray that we would be to at least 80% of our support goals so that we can leave for Brazil as soon as receiving our Angolan visas in January. For the Lord’s Guidance and Help with all of the Details Ahead of Us. During the next several months we will be traveling and meeting with individuals and churches, finishing training, acquiring visas and tickets, etc., all while continuing with homeschool and regular life. For Smooth Transitions for Our Children and Ourselves. There will be many changes during the months ahead, even before we leave for Angola. Please pray for peace and protection (physical, emotional and spiritual). For Angola. Please pray for CEML Hospital, the Missionaries there, and the Precious People to whom they are Ministering. How Can We Pray for You? We would also like to keep you in our prayers. Please let us know how we can be praying for you! May the Lord Bless you and Keep You! Let’s Keep Serving Him Together! With Love, The De Souza Family Our Story Who are we? We are just regular people, saved by our awesome God! We would have been completely lost and broken if it were not for the saving love and grace of God. To see a film of our story please click on this link: https://youtu.be/tnKVrBFiHEw We have learned that no matter the depths of pain we have felt, no matter the mess we have made of our lives, we are never so lost that His grace can’t save us. There is always hope in Jesus! Stay in Touch Our Mailing Address: 14512 Shoreline Ln. Lake Park, MN 56554 Phone: 218-204-1334 E-mail: eduardo.desouza@sim.org jocelyn.desouza@sim.org |